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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28936323">Gossip on Tatooine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamers_den/pseuds/Dreamers_den'>Dreamers_den</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship, Mentioned Grogu | Baby Yoda, Mentioned Razor Crest, Post-Season/Series 02, Slice of Life, settling down</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:27:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28936323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamers_den/pseuds/Dreamers_den</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After season two, Mandalorian has no ship, almost no weapons and most importantly, no kid. It leaves him feeling stranded and alone. Out of pity, Boba Fett offers to get him a  job. With nothing else to do, Din agrees. Rumours spread that the Mandalorians are invading Tatooine.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gossip on Tatooine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once Grogu was safe and under Jedi protection, there wasn´t much left to do. Despite Cara immediately offered Din that he could go with her and find some new jobs on Nevarro, he just couldn´t bring himself to agree. Getting a new job right now just sounded… tiring.</p><p>And Din was kriffing exhausted.</p><p>He was exhausted beyond reason, both physically and mentally. So when Fett basically just told him to sit down, Din sat down and let everything else simply fly over his head. He silently watched the others talking and exchanging goodbyes, while he just sat on a crate, the helmet loosely placed on his knees.</p><p>“You can come with us,” Fett told him on his way to cockpit, and it wasn´t really a question, so Din didn´t bother replying. It wasn´t as if he had somewhere to go. His ship was gone, the Mandalorian covert on Nevarro destroyed, and there wasn´t any other place he could think of, where he could go.</p><p>Fortunately, Fett acted as if Din loudly agreed with him. He headed to cockpit to set their new course, discussing something with Fennec in low voices. It sounded as if they had some plans, or least some destination in mind. It was more than Din had, so he just leant back in his seat, finally closing his eyes and allowing himself to drift off to sleep.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>* * *</p>
</div>Fett seemed to have a pretty clear vision of what he wanted to do on Tatooine, and didn´t let anyone or anything to stand in his way. He quickly took over the local underworld, slaying all the former bosses. At his side, Fennec followed anywhere he went, either out of sense of debt or because of a new camaraderie.<p>Between two of them, Din let himself to be carried with the flow. If Fett asked for his help, he wouldn´t hesitate, but Fett and Fennec seemed to have everything under control and Din was mostly left to himself. It was almost peaceful, to just hang out at Jabba´s old palace, standing behind Fett´s throne, quietly observing the crowd of people coming and going while Fett was renegotiating some trade deals.</p><p>“It´s handy to have another Mandalorian around,” Fennec once told him, when he asked about the meetings. “It discourages people from trying something funny.” She didn´t smile as she said it, and Din was quite sure that she wasn´t joking. That wasn´t really Fennec´s thing.</p><p>“All right,” he retorted, tipping his helmeted head down a bit. After waking up on Fett´s ship on their way to Tatooine, he slipped it back on automatically, without even thinking about it. Only later, it caught up with him what he did on the bridge. But it was hard to blindly follow the Creed, while Fett´s bare face was looking at him over breakfast. Not to mention unhelmeted Bo-Katan calling him to set the rules for their match.</p><p>“I won´t fight you,” he said, shaking his head.</p><p>Even on crappy holo, he could see Bo-Katan´s eyes narrow. “Darksaber must be won in combat,” she insisted. “You gave me your word that I would get it-”</p><p>“Yes! So just take it,” he interrupted her sharply.</p><p>“I can´t just take it,” Bo-Katan sighed, glaring at him. “You don´t understand,”</p><p>“No one does, princess,” Fett said over Din´s shoulder and Din was so grateful for interruption that he didn´t even complain about Fett listening to his private call. “Because you´re not making sense.”</p><p>“This isn´t your business,” Bo-Katan snapped back. “Stay out of-”</p><p>Wordlessly, Fett reached to controls and disconnected the call. “Just ignore her,” he told Din, who turned to him in surprise. “That´s for the best.”</p><p>Since then, Din was relatively successfully avoiding all Bo-Katan´s calls. Also, he kept wearing his helmet. If Mandalorians like Fett, Bo-Katan and her team could take their helmets off and still be Mandalorians, he could try that too. With the title of Mand’alor hanging over his head, Din felt like he deserved to be cut some slack about the Creed. You can´t be Mand’alor and traitor at the same time, right?</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>* * *</p>
</div>As a bounty hunter, Din worked for all sorts of shady clients. Still, working for the new crimelord of Tatooine was a unique appointment, mostly because his work consisted of lurking behind Fett´s throne and glaring at people who came to talk to them.<p>“I´m sure that we can figure something out,” a slimy Rodian was saying. “Keeping the business up is the best for everyone. I mean, it´s credits that keeps worlds going,” he added, rubbing his fingers together in universal gesture for money.</p><p>“But you haven´t paid your old debt yet,” Fett remarked, tilting his helmeted head to side. “Doesn´t sound like you´re a successful businessman.”</p><p>Rodian gasped, and unconsciously took a step forward. “Oh, but I can-” </p><p>Fennec just clicked her tongue, moving from her place at the side. It was enough for Rodian to stop dead in his tracks and slowly step back, his palms raised up. “What about you brough credits instead of promises, next time?” Fennec asked.</p><p>“But I can assure you-”</p><p>Fett just snapped his fingers and pointed to exit. “Credits first, small talk later,” he said dryly. Behind him, Din moved forward a bit, stopping next to the throne. He didn´t reach for his blaster, didn´t have to. Silent threat of his presence was just as effective as drawing a weapon.</p><p>Rodian seemed to understand. He glanced from one Mandalorian to another, before bowing and hastily taking his leave. </p><p>“Cheap scum,” Fett commented, comfortably sprawling himself on the throne. “Someone should remind him what happens when you forget your instalment…” </p><p>When he didn´t continue, Din glanced at him and was met with T-shaped visor turned his way. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn´t agree to come here to be your thug.”</p><p>“You could be useful, you know?” Fett muttered, only to earn himself a slap on shoulder from Fennec. “Hey!”</p><p>But Fennec only shook her head and sat on the armrest of the throne. “There are a few others still waiting outside. Shall we continue?”</p><p>A few more criminal scums later, Fett got bored and ordered everyone else to come tomorrow. Sighing, he leant back on the throne, slightly slipping down. He didn´t have to say anything aloud, Fennec already knew him well enough to fetch him a bottle of spotchka. Fett accepted it with a content sigh and pulled the helmet off with his free hand.</p><p>“Want a shot?” Fennec offered, showing the glasses to Din, who shook his head.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Take a break,” Fett told him over a shoulder. “You can´t be brooding all the time.”</p><p>“I´m not brooding,” Din retorted, offended. He really wasn´t!</p><p>Fennec gave Fett reproachful stare. “We talked about this,” she reminded him dryly.</p><p>“But he´s unbearable,” Fett complained, waving his hand towards Din. “Really, if you don´t want to help, why don´t you take some time off?”</p><p>“You talked about me?”</p><p>“You´ve been on Tatooine before. Don´t you know any people around, whom you could visit? Or go see some nice place, kill another krayt dragon or something,” Fett continued, ignoring Din´s question. “You know, just take some time off.”</p><p>But Din could be stubborn when he wanted to. “What did you talk about?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Fett said, glancing away. He took a long gulp from the bottle, before passing it back to Fennec. “Look, you need to blow off some steam. If it helps, we can literally blow some stuff up,” he added, smirking. Next to him, Fennec sighed.</p><p>Din shook his head. “Maybe you´re right. I should look for some work-”</p><p>“I didn´t mean work,” Fett interrupted him, frowning. “Which part of ‘take some time off’ did sound like work to you? You work all the time, take some rest for a change. Tatooine isn´t exactly a vacations resort, but you´re smart. I´m sure that you can find some entertainment here.”</p><p>For a moment, Din just silently glared at him through the helmet, before giving Fett´s idea actual thought. It was true that as a bounty hunter, he rarely had free time. If there were no bounties, he would search for work, practice, tinker with his ship… he wasn´t used to this idleness. Maybe he should find something to do, before Fett´s patience with him runs out.</p><p>What did Fett say at the beginning? That Din could visit some people around? He didn´t exactly have friends on Tatooine, but he could travel to Mos Eisley to check how Peli was going. Maybe he could mention that he lost Razor Crest and was looking for a new ship. The mechanic knew a lot of people, she should be able to find someone who was selling ships. Not that Din had money for a new ship, but Cara got quite a bounty for Moff Gideon, and she offered to share it with him. </p><p>Still, traveling over to Most Eisley could be a nice distraction. When Din agreed to join Fett, he thought that the other Mandalorian would have some tasks for him, not that he would be mostly left to his own devices. He wasn´t used to this lack of activity, and could practically feel the unused energy tingling under his skin.</p><p>“Do you have speeder bike I could borrow?” he asked, surprising both Fett and Fennec with his question, judging from the looks they gave him.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>* * *</p>
</div>It didn´t take much time for Din to gather some supplies and pack for the travel. He didn´t know how long he would stay in Mos Eisley – probably not too long. The plan was to visit Peli and share news with her, and possibly check some ships for sale. Some part of Din shuddered at the thought of replacing Razor Crest, despite his rational part knew that he would need a new ship sooner or later.<p><i>Later</i>, a sentimental part of him pleaded quietly.</p><p><i>Shut up</i>, he thought firmly. </p><p>Drive to Mos Eisley was uneventful, and rather dull. There were some Tusken Raiders, but they were willing to trade some smaller tools Din carried with him for this purpose, and they caused just a little delay. Before the second sun could set behind the horizon, Din reached the walls of the town and headed to Peli´s hangar.</p><p>He left the speeder bike at the door and entered, looking around for the mechanic. Like expected, Peli was in the middle of her hangar, busy fixing some machine, her droids hobbling around. Din wordlessly approached. He didn´t try to sneak, but Peli was so consumed with the work that she only noticed when one of droids beeped and abruptly pointed at Din.</p><p>“What the-! Oh!” she gasped when looking up, dramatically pressing a palm to her chest. “Don´t sneak up on me like that, it´s rude!” she scolded him</p><p>Under the helmet, Din couldn´t resist a fond smile. It felt reassuring to see that at least something didn´t change, in the turmoil of latest events. “I wasn´t sneaking,” he replied.</p><p>Peli snorted and braced hands on her hips. “No, you just walk around quietly, all silent and mysterious. Where is your ship?” she added as afterthought, only then realizing that Mandalorian didn´t arrive like usually.</p><p>Din deeply sighed. “It´s gone.”</p><p>“What?” Peli´s eyebrows jumped up and she looked around again, as if expecting Razor Crest to be hiding somewhere. “What have you done to it this time? Don´t tell me you lost it in sabacc.”</p><p>“It was destroyed by Imperials,” Din retorted, hoping that he wouldn´t have to go into detail. The loss was still fresh enough that it sat heavily on his chest, and he could feel the taste of smoke on his tongue.</p><p>“Oh,” Peli made a sympathetic sound and shook her head. “It´s always the Empire, isn´t it?”</p><p>There was nothing else Din could do but shrug. At this part of galaxy, there was always something, and reach of New Republic hadn´t spread to Tatooine yet. But he didn´t come to discuss politics. </p><p>“What about the kid?” Peli asked suddenly, her voice getting unusually high and alarmed. She looked Din over, searching for any trace of his missing companion, and her eyes widened.</p><p>“I found his kind,” Din quickly explained, before Peli could think of the worst. “They´ll… teach him to use his… abilities. And they´ll protect him.”</p><p>The mechanic gave him a sympathetic look. She sighed, shaking her head, but didn´t press the matter. For all her sharp tongue, Peli knew how to be considered too, and Din was grateful for that.</p><p>Clearing throat, he sheepishly lowered his head and glanced at Peli from the corner of his visor. “I´ll need a new ship.”</p><p>It took Peli a moment to get the hint, but when she did, her face lit up. “Really?” she asked smugly. “Maybe I could help you find one. For a small provision, of course.”</p><p>“Of course,” Din repeated, flatly. “It doesn´t have to be anything new,” he added, too aware of his financial situation. </p><p>“Any specific idea? I´m afraid that you won´t find another Razor Crest, except maybe on junkyard,” Peli said, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. </p><p>“Something similar would do well. It doesn´t have to be in perfect state either, just flyable. Or easy to repair,” Din said, trying to set his expectations appropriately low. Tatooine wasn´t exactly the best place for buying a new ship. The offer would be probably quite limited, so it was better not to get too optimistic.</p><p>His requests seemed to surprise Peli. “Really? I´d expect you to go for some upgrade this time. Not that I´m complaining about having work to do, but wouldn´t you like to have a new ship, for a change? Like, actually new?”</p><p>Din had to fight the urge to sigh. “New ships cost more,” he said simply. </p><p>“So? I thought that you are well-off now.” She looked him over.</p><p>“Beskar isn´t for sale,” Din retorted sharply. He thought that Peli understood the importance of Mandalorian armour, and there was nothing else of value that he had left after the loss of Razor Crest. Except of Darksaber, but Bo-Katan would skin him alive if he sold that. Silently, he swallowed.</p><p>“Well, I heard rumours that you have friends with deep pockets now,” Peli said cryptically. “I was a little worried for a while, but seeing you around, I guess that gossip was about you.”</p><p>Din was in the middle of deep inhale, so he could argue about his wealthy status, when he registered Peli´s last words. “What gossip?” he asked, glad that Peli couldn´t see his dumbfounded expression. </p><p>Shrugging, Peli turned to side and walked to her toolbox. She picked soldering iron, still avoiding Din´s intense gaze and moved to sit at speeder she´d been fixing. “Well, I didn´t believe it, of course. There aren´t enough Mandalorians left, I thought,” she started, offhandedly. “Then I remembered that you were looking for some. How did that work out, by the way?”</p><p>“I found some,” Din retorted, remembering meeting Bo-Katan. “What gossip?”</p><p>But Peli only turned the soldering iron in her hand and bent down to speeder. For a minute, Din let her pretend to work on it, while he silently fumed under the helmet. When it felt like his patience can´t stretch anymore and he was about to demand the answer again, Peli glanced at him over her shoulder.</p><p>“Some people are worried, you know? They talk about Mandalorian invasion,” she said. “I say what invasion, the only Mando who ever visits here, is you. You need more than one for invasion. But then the rumours came that another one took over Jabba´s palace. Green helmet, painted armour,” she gestured with her hand as she spoke. “Didn´t sound like you, so I´ve been wondering…”</p><p>“There is no invasion,” Did said, exasperated. He couldn´t believe that presence of two Mandalorians could spook such rumours on Tatooine, and felt ridiculous for having to explain this to Peli. “There are only two of us.”</p><p>“So you found a new friend?” Peli asked, raising her eyebrows. “Or a business partner, or something? I hope you´re not going to fight them,” she added with a frown.</p><p>Din shook his head. “Of course not. We… get on well.”</p><p>“Get on well? That doesn´t explain much,” Peli complained, pouting. “Are you friends? How do you know them? Who is it?”</p><p>Those were some pretty good questions. Reasonable questions. Frustrating questions, because Din wasn´t sure how to answer them. Was he friends with Fett? Maybe, if you stretched the definition of friendship far enough. Them met… in not very friendly way, but then Fett and Fennec fought at his side against Imperials, and they helped him to save Grogu. It could be easier to just say they were friends, Fett was unlikely to appear in Peli´s hangar and complain about it.</p><p>“We worked together,” he said, eventually. It was clear that Peli wanted longer explanation from him, maybe an interesting story to share, but Din didn´t feel like adding more details. Details would probably just make it worse, anyway. Let her thing that Fett was just another bounty hunter, who teamed up with Din for a while.</p><p>Peli hummed thoughtfully, and she squinted at him. “Worked together. Well, I hope you got paid for that work, because new ships ain´t cheap.”</p><p>“Like I said, it doesn´t have to be new.”</p><p>“Still.” </p><p>Sighing, Din shook his head. “Just ask around if there´s anything for sale. And let me know if there´s any more gossip about Mandalorians.”</p><p>That made Peli chuckle. “Didn´t peg you as type for gossip,” she said slyly. “Not judging, tho,” she added, quickly raising her hands in calming gesture. “Everyone gets to be curious. I just didn´t expect that from you.”</p><p>Din silently glared at her from under his helmet, but Peli pretended not to notice. Sometimes, it was frustrating to be in company of people who knew you well enough not to be intimidated by you. <i>Dank farrik</i>, he thought. Fett won´t be happy when he hears the gossip. </p><p>Maybe moving to Tatooine wasn´t such a good idea.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments are very appreciated.:)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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